


Break-ups with Bouquets

by MatchaVanilla



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M, Modern AU, One Shot, Romantic-focus, inspired by a Tumblr AU prompt, written as a gift
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-23
Updated: 2017-02-23
Packaged: 2018-09-26 10:18:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9888248
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatchaVanilla/pseuds/MatchaVanilla
Summary: When you can't find the right words, say it with flowers! Even if what you're trying to say is "fuck you".





	

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by Demisexualmerrill's AU prompt on Tumblr and written for Roxanne, who requested the Demyx/Zexion pairing.
> 
> This one shot could technically be a prequel for "You're Somebody to Me", but both are stand-alone works in their own right.

Zexion had always considered himself a simple teen with simple desires. All he really asked of life - or, to be more specific, his summer vacation - was to be left alone, free to read as many books as he could get his hands on. Unfortunately, his aunt had sprained her ankle. Sure, he felt some sympathy for her, but Zexion was soon far more sorry for himself when he was _volunteered_ to look after her flower shop.

 

That was how he found himself awake before eight o'clock in the morning, wearing a cheerful green-and-blue apron and a pink, daisy-patterned headband to keep his long, dark bangs out of his face. Of all the indignities... Zexion was not pleased, to say the least.

 

For the most part, the work was easy. There were bouquets and corsages already made up, and the living flowers only needed watering on occasion, so his main role was working the cash register. Of all the plants his aunt kept in her shop, Zexion's favorites were the succulents; they needed absolutely no care and did best when left alone.

 

No... the _root_ of all his problems were the customers.

 

Whenever someone came in and didn't know what they wanted, Zexion died a little inside. The dark-haired teen knew, just knew, that it would be his job to make suggestions, or a custom arrangement, or some other stupid, time consuming thing that forced him to interact with moronic strangers. Besides, as troublesome and annoying as they were, none of the requests were the least bit interesting.

 

"I need two dozen sunflowers. They have to be sunflowers; they're her favorite!" _Well, maybe you should have ordered in advance, then, because we don't have two dozen sunflowers._

 

"I want a bouquet that will tell her how much I love her, and that she's the only one for me, but I only have five dollars. Do you have anything like that?" _For five dollars, you might as well go and buy a box of Kleenex and some lube, because you can't afford anything that will get you laid._

 

"These roses are perfect! ...But I want them in lemon yellow, not custard yellow. Can you fix that?" _Certainly, let me just bend the laws of nature to suit your whims. No problem._

 

It was just so insipid, Zexion found himself thinking as he rearranged the display of white lilies and multicolor snapdragons. Pretty as they were, flowers were just so useless and fleeting; there were so many other gifts out there that were far more practical and permanent. Not to mention, a bouquet was the single most cliche romantic offering there was - aside from a box of chocolates shaped like a heart.

 

Ridiculous.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The delicate, tinkling bell over the door was quickly becoming Zexion's least favorite sound in the world. By the second week of working the flower shop, he was actually wishing that school would start back up again, just so that he could get away from this hell.

 

The universe must really hate him. Apparently, his aunt's injury had been misdiagnosed. Her ankle had actually been _broken_ , not sprained, and the lack of proper treatment had exacerbated the problem, leaving her bedridden. Zexion was very, _very_ sorry to hear that. He was now stuck at the flower shop for at least another three weeks, if not longer.

 

So, with a heavy heart, Zexion pushed the dreaded pink headband through his bangs, preparing for another day of pansy-related aggravation. With a sigh, he went to the door, flipping the sign from Closed to Open.

 

_Please, just keep the wedding parties away. I'll deal with the rest, but if I have to hear another woman ramble endlessly about her Perfect June Wedding, I'm going to lose it._

 

Much to the moody teen's relief, the first few customers of the day were not, in fact, there for any wedding-related flower arrangements. After a few very simple sales - two potted tea roses and a single tulip with a ribbon - Zexion was starting to feel better about the state of the world. He'd even had time to start reading the paperback he'd brought with him.

 

And then, the bell chimed once again. Sighing in exasperation, Zexion glanced up from his book.

 

A tall, fairly attractive teen strode purposefully into the shop. He had... some very strange hair, Zexion noticed - like something between a mullet and a Mohawk - but it suited him, somehow. Before he could say anything, or decide to say nothing at all, more likely, the other teen reached the counter, slapping forty dollars onto its wooden surface.

 

"How do I say _"fuck you"_ in flower?!" he asked without preamble, looking intense.

 

Zexion just... blinked. "I beg your pardon?" the dark-haired teen asked eventually, tilting his head to one side in confusion. Fortunately, the faux-hawked teen seemed happy to explain.

 

"My name is Demyx," he began, shoving both hands into his jean pockets, leaving the money on the counter, "I thought I had to work this morning, but I misread my schedule. Y'know; as you do," he shrugged and dipped his head to one side in a strange nod of acknowledgement, "So I was headed home, thinking that everything was right with the world. And then I saw my boyfriend..." He grimaced before adding, " - making out with someone else."

 

 _Ouch_. "Oh. I'm... sorry to hear that," Zexion murmured, unsure if he meant it or not. Being cheated on would suck, but at least - it was Demyx, right? At least Demyx knew about it, now, rather than having it continue behind his back.

 

Unaware of the dark-haired teen's thoughts, Demyx continued, "He's a florist too. My soon-to-be-ex boyfriend, I mean." He glanced away from Zexion for a moment, then met his eyes again, "I'm gonna break up with him, of course, but I want it to be personal, y'know? I want it to really hit him where it hurts."

 

 _Fair enough_ , Zexion agreed, _and rather clever_. He nodded, encourage Demyx to continue.

 

"So I thought... There's some kind of flower language, right?" He looked hopeful, "Like, where different flowers have special meanings to them, or whatever? There _has_ to be a way to tell him to go fuck himself, and that would be perfect! He'd definitely get it."

 

 _Oh dear_ , thought Zexion, the totally-not-a-real-florist. This might be a little out of his depth... but it was also the most interesting request he'd ever heard.

 

Stalling for time, the dark-haired teen hummed, glancing around at the various flower-filled buckets along the front wall. "I think I can help you," He told Demyx finally, coming up with a plan, "Let me go and check the back real quick and then we'll get started, okay?"

 

He was treated to a blindingly bright smile of gratitude. "Thank you!" Demyx exclaimed once again, looking as though he might embrace the other teen had there not been a table between them, "I really appreciate the help, uh - um...?" He grinned, a little sheepishly, "Sorry, I didn't catch your name."

 

"I hadn't thrown it," Zexion quipped, before he could stop himself. A blush quickly spread across his face in the short silence that followed. "I'm Zexion," he supplied belatedly, taking a step away from the counter, toward the back room, "I'll uh... be right back."

 

Turning, Zexion fled to the store room. His retreat was perhaps a touch undignified, but at least he'd resisted the urge to run for it. Barely.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

After a quick internet search, made possible by his cellphone's satellite internet connection, Zexion was feeling on firmer ground with the whole "flower language" thing. As Demyx had said, each flower had a coded meaning attached; daisies, for example, stood for innocence.

 

He could totally handle this.

 

Grabbing some extra bouquet-wrapping supplies to disguise the reason he'd gone to the back room, Zexion emerged back into the main portion of the shop.

 

Demyx was still there waiting for his return, he was pleased to note. Though Zexion was then surprised, a moment later, when he noticed that the faux-hawked teen had actually picked up the paperback book that had been left behind at the counter. He was skimming over the description on the back cover, looking interested.

 

With a delicate cough, Zexion attracted the other teen's attention. "Oh, sorry," Demyx gave a sheepish smile, quickly returning the book to its place, "All set?"

 

"Yes," the dark-haired teen nodded, setting his supplies down on the nearby worktable - he'd often groused that it was the smallest worktable he'd ever seen. "There are a lot of options for a rejection bouquet," Zexion began, trying to sound more knowledgeable than he really was, "I think that I can make something fairly striking."

 

 _Though... if my boyfriend had cheated on me and I wanted something striking, I'd just find a baseball bat to hit him with_ , Zexion found himself thinking, in rather dark humor, _I suppose that's probably why I don't have a boyfriend._

 

"That sounds great!" Demyx enthused, completely unaware of the other teen's rather violent inner thoughts, "Dude, this is gonna be _so_ sweet. Marluxia won't know what hit him!"

 

Zexion smirked at Demyx's unintentional continuation of his pun.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

While it wasn't the ugliest bouquet he'd ever made - that honor went to a horrible mix of orange marigolds, blue carnations, daffodils, and some kind of sickly-looking greenish white ferns - Demyx's break-up bouquet _was_ a bit of a jumble. The scarlet geraniums were the hardest to incorporate, but the dark-haired teen had managed to make it work. They were certainly the most eye-catching part. Then again, the whole arrangement was supposed to make a statement, and Zexion was fairly certain that it would.

 

So was the faux-hawked teen, judging by the happy grin on his face. "That's perfect!" He exclaimed, reaching out to carefully take the bunch of flowers, "What does the lavender mean, again?"

 

"Distrust," Zexion replied, moving closer so that he could point out the different blooms in turn and explain their meaning, "The geraniums are for stupidity, and the meadowsweet - this white one, here - means uselessness, while the foxglove signifies insecurity. Then the yellow carnations symbolize refusal, and the orange lilies mean hatred."

 

Listening intently, Demyx nodded, committing it all to memory. "What about these?" He asked suddenly, pointing into the bouquet when it seemed as though Zexion had finished, "The yellow roses; what do they mean?"

 

The dark-haired teen smiled, "Infidelity. I thought they were rather appropriate." Zexion couldn't deny it; the bouquet had been fun to make. It would be interesting to see the soon-to-be-ex boyfriend's face when he got the gift.

 

"You are _awesome_ ," Demyx praised, taking in the whole glorious sight of his symbolic break-up gift, "Thanks so much for doing this; I know it was a weird request."

 

"I enjoyed it," Zexion admitted, "It was easily the most interesting request in a while."

 

"Would you mind if I came back tomorrow?" the other teen asked, "I have the day off again, and I'd like to let you know how it went down. Since you put so much effort into helping me, I mean. If that'd be okay?" Demyx looked hopeful and surprisingly happy, considering that he was about to go and break up with his cheating boyfriend.

 

"I'd like that," Zexion nodded in agreement, "I am rather invested in the story, at this point. It'd be a shame not to know the ending."

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

True to his word, Demyx arrived at the flower shop the next day, just before closing time. He was cheerful and upbeat, carrying a guitar case on his back and a small, pink cardboard box in his hands, humming an uplifting tune. Zexion marveled at his ability to bounce back so quickly.

 

"Well?" the dark-haired teen asked, setting down the floral wire he'd been twisting into yet another corsage, now that the stock had finally run out, "How did it go?"

 

"It was _fantastic!_ " Demyx enthused, setting the box down on the counter so that he could gesture freely while he spoke, "As soon as I handed it to him, he totally got it; I could see it in his eyes. You should have seen the expression on his face!" The taller teen bounced - actually _bounced_ \- and grinned, "It was hilarious. And then I told him that we were over."

 

Zexion smiled, at that. "Good," He nodded in approval, "I wonder, then, if break-up bouquets will become more popular, as a result. Perhaps I should tell my aunt about it now, so that she can start the trend before your ex boyfriend can."

 

"Your aunt?" Demyx asked, leaning his hip against the counter, apparently planning to get comfortable and stay a while, "Does she own this shop?"

 

His curiosity was so earnest that the dark-haired teen found himself telling Demyx the entire story of his impromptu summer job. It was strange; Zexion didn't usually enjoy talking about himself, but he didn't feel awkward telling the blond guitarist. Making a break-up bouquet was apparently quite the bonding experience.

 

When the story ended, Demyx hummed softly, regarding Zexion thoughtfully. "Well... I'm glad that you were here!" He asserted, his smile returning, "You really helped me out. Speaking of which..." With a flourish, the faux-hawked teen grabbed the lid of the pink cardboard box, flipping it open, "I brought a Thank You gift!"

 

Inside the box were two extremely beautiful mini cakes. Maybe it was strange to describe food as beautiful, but that was the first word that came to Zexion's mind. They might have been small, but there was icing piped onto them in amazingly detailed patters and designs, making them extremely appealing. He found himself staring, lips parted in surprise.

 

"They're from the bakery next door," Demyx explained, looking at the smaller teen with a curious expression, "You've never seen them before?"

 

Zexion had not. He'd been working at the flower shop for two weeks, but he hadn't even tried to have a look around the surrounding area. "I... tend to be pretty focused, when I have a job to do," he tried to explain, blushing in embarrassment, "I suppose I just never noticed."

 

For some reason, Demyx's expression brightened at that. "I could show you around, once you're done here," He suggested in excited tones, "I know this part of town pretty well, and it's way more fun when you can hang out with a friend!"

 

"I'd like that," Zexion agreed. There were still a few minutes before the shop closed, but... what did he really care? Moving to the door, the dark-haired teen flipped the sign from Open to Closed and locked the door, effectively done for the day. Then, turning around, he tugged the stupid pink headband from his forehead, letting his hair fall down naturally.

 

...Only to find Demyx staring at him.

 

Zexion blinked. "What's wrong?" he asked, confused.

 

"Your hair!" Demyx announced, gesturing at the smaller teen's head, "It looks so much cooler that way, all mysterious and stuff! _Very_ punk-rock!" Then, backpedaling, "Not that you looked bad before, but... uh." He shrugged helplessly, "Y'know."

 

"Demyx, did you honestly think that I was wearing a girly, pink, flowered headband of my own free will?" Zexion asked, a little incredulously.

 

"....No?"

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Not only did Demyx show him around, but he also started coming to visit Zexion at work just about every day. Turned out, his summer job only took a couple hours each day - he was in charge of the grade school guitar lessons at the nearby community center - so he had more than enough free time to hang out. The tall blond even took to helping the smaller teen on occasion - which was a lifesaver, when the next wedding party came by. Demyx threw on an apron on and everything.

 

It was a good look for him, Zexion had to admit; blue was most definitely his color.

 

Funny enough; break-up bouquets did become suddenly popular. Demyx and Zexion became busy, making bunches of them every day and laughing about their conception. Who would have guessed that Demyx's misfortune and subsequent spark of inspiration would spark such a huge fad?

 

They started to talk a lot more too, about anything and everything. Zexion learned that his new friend had just moved to Hollow Bastion from Destiny Islands - not actually an island, but the little coastal city nearby, within easy driving distance, really. He also learned that Demyx was terrified of bugs and spiders, which he deemed "creepy crawlies". That had been an interesting discovery.

 

Over the next month or so, the two teenagers got to be pretty close, despite the initial differences. Zexion found that he became more interested in music, because of their friendship, while Demyx started asking for book recommendations from him in return. By the time his aunt's ankle had healed enough to come back to work, Zexion had actually been enjoying himself at the flower shop.

 

 _All things must come to an end sometime, though,_ Zexion found himself musing as he flipped the shop sign from Open to Closed for the last time. At least he knew that Demyx was going to Hollow Bastion High too, so they wouldn't lose touch forever.

 

Turning, the dark-haired teen came face-to-face with a large, beautiful bunch of flowers that stopped him in his tracks. Blinking at them, Zexion glanced up, catching sight of a blushing Demyx. "...What's this?" He asked, totally oblivious.

 

"They're for you," Demyx explained, his gaze holding Zexion's own, rather boldly, "It's... like the opposite of a break-up bouquet. It's an _"I'd like to get to know you better and maybe even ask you on a date"_ bouquet."

 

Zexion just... stared.

 

The pause was a little awkward, but the tall blond persisted. "I put it together myself, and I was really careful picking the flowers," he explained, "The... the pink roses mean admiration, and the honeysuckle are for a fated meeting, if the website I found is right." Demyx cleared his throat softly, "Lily of the valley means the return of happiness, and alyssum stands for worth beyond beauty... but the purple pansies mean that you occupy my thoughts."

 

Slowly, the dark-haired teen reached up, taking the bouquet in both hands. "Flowers are just so...  _fleeting_ ," Zexion murmured, even while his icy little heart began to rapidly melt.

 

"Isn't that a good thing?" Demyx asked, tilting his head to one side as he regarded Zexion, "I mean, our feelings change, right? When that happens... I'll make you a new one." Then, a little sheepishly, "If you really don't like the flowers, I wrote you a song, too."

 

"You did? For _me?"_ the moody teen was floored.

 

Demyx laughed, his face still pink with embarrassment. "I did use purple pansies," He pointed out, his tone playful, "You've been in my thoughts... a lot."

 

After another pause, one twice as awkward as the first, Zexion took a deep breath. "I always thought that bouquets were cliche, contrite, and foolish," the dark-haired teen began, glancing up just in time to see Demyx's shoulders slump in defeat before he continued, "But from you, with all the thought you put into things... I think I like it."

 

When Demyx smiled, it was like the sun coming out from behind the clouds.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

The End


End file.
